Eyeglass case and process of making the same



Aug. 19, 1924. 1,505.769

R. M. DUGDALE EYEGLASS CASE AND PROCESS OF MAKING THE SAME Filed March 10 1924 5 Sheefis-Sheet l F\ ir A r c a n Bose Area lnyernoc H icho rd M, Dugdczw R. M. DUGDALE EYEGLASS CASE AND PROCESS OF MAKING-THE SAME Eil ad March 10 1924 5 Shee ts-Sheet 2 Fig Invenior. Richard M. Dugdale b zw WkW' Aug. 19, 1924. 1,305,769"

R; M. DUGDALE.

EYEGLASS CASE AND'PROCESSOF MAKING THE SAME Filed March 10, 1924 s Sheets-Sherri s Fig 8 49 4a 1' r l sl 2 1 J.

L 53 F 1%. 3. 3 v M36 3sas Inventor.

A t fys.

Richard M. Du gdole Patented Aug. 19, 1924.

, i assnr sricsg RICHARD M. DUGDALE, or :rnMarcarLAIN, MAsS cnUsn 'rTsAssIGnoR. TO FAR- RINGTON MANUFACTURING COMPANY, or JAMAICA PLAIN, MASSACHUSETTS, A

CORPORATION OF IMAINE.

EYEGLASS CASE Annrnoonss OF MAKING THE SAME.

Application filed March 10, 1824. Serial No. 698,661.

1 '0 all who-m it may concern.

Be it known that I, RICHARD M. DUGDALE, a citizen of the. United States, and a resident of Jamaica Plain, county of SuifollgState of Massachusetts, have invented an Improvement in Eyeglass Cases and Processes of Making the Same, of which the following description, in connection with the ac companying drawing, is a specification, like characters on the drawing representing like parts.

This invention relates to improvements in receptacles and in processes of producing the same and the general object thereof is to provide a receptacle comprising a hollow body having a base and an integral curved riin wall with a lip integral with the wall extending over a part of the chamber of the body.

More specifically the invention relates to nnprovements 1n eye-glass or spectacle cases of the type in which a lip extends throughout the length of one of the side walls of the receptacle and portions of the ends adjacent thereto. The lip, therefore, provides a pocket into which the edges of the eye-glasses or spectacles may be in serted and prevented from slippingwhen' the cover of the case is being opened or closed. In usual cases of this type the cover is hinged along the opposite side of the case and when closed engages and overlies the lip thus forming a tight and practically dust-proof closure for the case. In

spectacle cases as heretofore constructed the lip has been formed integral with one side of the case and the ends of the lip left free from connection with the ends of the case. In such constructions the lip is easily bent and requires the case to be covered. In other cases the ends of the lip are secured to the edges of the case by seams of solder. Such seams present an unattractive appearance and are neeessarily'weak because of the very narrow edge surfaces of the lip and ends of the case which are joined by the solder.

The particular object of the present invention is to provide an eye-glass or spectacle case in which an integral seamless union is maintained between the ends of the lip and the portions of the edges of the ends of the case which are adjacent thereto.

the ends of the case;

A further object of the invention is to provide a novel process for producing a spectacle or eye-glass case having a body comprising a base with an integralrim wall extending upwardly therefrom forming the sides and preferably the curved ends of the. case with alip integral with one side and portions of the ends overlying a part of the v body of the case.'

A further object of the invention is to provide a novel form of blank capable of being drawn or n'ianipnlated to produce an eye-glass case of the character described without substantial waste of material.

Otherobjects and features of the invention will more fully appear from the following description andthe accompanying drawings and will be particularly pointed out in the claims.

The drawings show an illustrative form of blank and some of the successive steps by which the blank is drawn or manipulated to produce the body of an eye-glass case which is also illustrated together with a preferred form of apparatus for performing said process.

In the drawings: F 1 isa plan view of the form of blank for producing the body of the eye-glass case illustrated herein having defined thereupon in dotted'lines the base area of the case surrounded by a rim area which when drawn upwardly produces continuous side and end walls integral'with the case and a lip area of a contour and size to produce a seamlessv lip integral'with one side and the portions of the ends of the case; i

Fig. 2 is a perspective view showing the rim and lip areas drawn to positions substantially normal to the plane of the base area thereby producing a hollow body;

Fig. 3 shows one of the steps in which the lip area is being drawn inwardly from the adjacent edge;

Fig. 4 shows the lip area drawn stil further. by progressive inward movement and condensation of the ends ofthe lip to form the seamless unionwith portions of Fig. 5 illustrates a substantially com; pleted 'body of the case;

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the completed case with the cover in open position,

body illustrated in Fig. 2 to produce the body of the case with its seamless lip overlying a portion of the chamber thereof;

Fig. 8 is a detail vertical transverse sectional view of the upper dieshown in F ig. e7;

Fig. 9 is a detail vertical transverse sectional view of the lower die shown in Fig.

, 7; Figs. Sand 9 being located in the relative positions which the dies occupy when the hollow body illustrated in Fig. 7 is applied to the lower die; and,

Fig. 10 is a detail vertical transverse sectional view of the co-operating dies in closed position with a substantially completed body portion of the case therebetween.

One of the objects of the invention is to produce a blank from which the body of receptacle or more specifically an eyeglass case of the character above described can be formed by a drawing operation which may be performed manually, but preferably is performed by means such as the co-operating dies illustrated. This blank, which is il ustrated in Fig. 1 desirably is of rigid ductile sheet material capable when bent of retaining a permanent set, preferably such as alumimun which not only contains the proper qualities of rigidity and ductility, but also is light, rustless and non-corrosive. The blank, which is illustrated in Fig. 1, comprises a central base area 1 of oblong, substantially rectangular, form having parallel sides 2 and 3 and convexedly curved ends 4 and 5 surrounded by a rim area which, when drawn u tiwardly t a position substantially normal to the base, forms a continuous projecting rinrwall. The rim wall area is of such width as to present a substantially straight front wa l 6 and a parallel rear wall 7 which usually is of greater width than the front wall and is provided with extensions 8 adapted to be rolled in such a manner as to produce parts of the hinges of the case.

The ends 9 and 10 of the rim wall area present convexedly curved edgesv having such curvature that when the rim wall area of the receptac e is drawn upwardly from the blank, in a direction substantially n0rmal to the base, portions of the edges of the ends will lie in a single plane. The

v blank also comprises a lip area 11 which is integral with and projects from the rim wall area at oneside and extends throughout itslength and presents projecting end portions having convexedly curved edges 12 and 13 which join the curved edges 9 and 10 of the adjacent ends of the rim wa l mechanical area in re-entrant angles 14: and 15 the apexes of which define the positions of the ends of the free edge of the lip of the completed receptacle and which curved ends of the lip area are of such contour and size as to maintain an integral union of the overlying lip with the sides of the adjacent ends of the rim wall when the lip is drawn back int substantial parallelism with the base area.

In the formation of other types of receptacles having an integral seamless lip extending across a curved portion of the rim wall over a part of the receptacles or along one side and corresponding portions of the edges of the ends of the body other forms of blanks'arenecessarily employed, but the form .of such blanks will be obvious to those skilled in the art from the above description of the blank for producing the body of the eye-glass case herein described. I I

' Having thus provided a blank capable of forming the body of the eye-glass case heretofore described the first step in the process consists in drawing the rim and lip areas upwardly in a directionsubstantially normal to the general plane of the base area, the term herein as including the sightly curved form of base which is usually employed in eyegeneral plane being employed glass cases of this character as Well as a an integral lip extension 20 projecting up-- wardly therefron'i in the same plane. The ends of the lip portion extend around the corners of the body and form portions of the ends of the body with the curved edges 2 and 13, which now are in a substantially vertical position, merging into the edges of the ends at the apexes 1 1 and 15 which define the position of the ends of the free edge of the lip when the body of the case is completed.

In the completion of the case the lip area is drawn rearwardly by forces acting in the plane of the edges 9 and 10 of the upward y turned ends 17 and 18 0f the case from the position of the dotted line 21 in Fig. 2, which defines the line of fold of the upper edge of the front of the case, and is in the same plane with the edges 9 and 10 of the ends of the case. During this drawing operation the lip is not only drawn rearwardly in said plane, but the ends 22 and 23 of the lip are simultaneously condensed inwardly as progressively illustrated. in Figs. 3 and 4; until the lip area is wholly iii 1,505,769 I I I 3 drawn into the plane ,of the edges ,9 and 10 of the ends of the case, whereupon the free edge 24 of the lip lies in a substantially straight line connecting the apexes l4 and 15 which define the junction of the convex ends of the lip area with the convex ends of the body portion of the receptacle as above defined in respect tothe form of blank employed.

Any suitable tools or apparatus may b employed for performing the process above described. The blank illustrated in Fig. 1 may be drawn into the form of the hollow body iltustrated in Fig. 2 by suitable co-operating dies such as are usually employed for drawing up the sides of the blank from its base t form a receptacle having a rim Wall of the desired contour. Preferred forms of dies which may be operated in any usual manner are illustrated in Figs. 7 to 10 inclusive for drawing the lip area of the. hollow body shown in Fig.2

progressively inwardly in the plane of the edges of the ends of the body and simultaneously condensing the ends of the lip.

portions in the same plane.

As illustrated herein the lower die members are mounted upon a base 25 which desirably is provided with a downwardly extending central. stem 26 which desirably is yieldably supported by a heavy helical spring 27, the base 25 beingprovided with an integral upwardly extending substantially rectangular stand 28 having a shouldered portion 29 to which a form 30, corresponding in. contour to the front portion of the chamber of the eye-glass, is secured in any suitable manner as by machine screws 3. The form 30 is of lesswidth than the width of the body of the case providing a space 32 beneath the lower edge 33 of the form to permit the case to be raised and removed from the form when the lip has been completed by the co-oper ating dies. The form 30 has a convexedly curved outer side 34 and convexedly curved ends 35 which conform respectively to the inner surfaces of the base and ends of the case. The form 30 has a relatively narrow curved side 36 adapted to formtthe front wall of the case. A yielding plate or guide 37 slidabl y fits a recess between the inner side 3-38 of the form and the vertical wall 39 of the stand 28 and has guide rods 40 which are slidably mounted in journals 41 in the stand and are provided with enlarged heads which move in enlarged cylindrical recesses 43 in the stand, the rods 40 preferably being secured to the-guide 37 by a screw threaded connection and the enlarged heads 42 presenting shoulders 44 adapted to engage com 'ilementary shoulders at the junction of the cylindrical apertures 43 with the journals 41 for the rods, thereby limiting the upward movement of the guide 37. The guide 37' is normally held in elevated position by helical springs 45 which surround the rods 40 and abut at the upper ends against the under face of the guide 37 and are seated at their lower ends upon the base 46 of a recess 47 located above the journal 41.

The upperdie comprises a base 48 hav ing a stem, 49 connectedto and operated by any suitable reciprocating mechanism and is provided with an integral stand 50 which extends downwardly therefrom and is provided with anflat face 51 forming a guide fora yield-able clamping plate 52 having a recess 53complementary to the upper end and front side of the form 30 and adapted to clamp the base and front wall of the eye-glass case therebetween. A I

The drawing face 55 of the die 54,'which is illustrated more particularly in Fig. 7, comprises a straight face 57 with rather sharply curved corner portions 58 which merge into diverging end portions 59 the ends 60 of which are spaced apart a distance substantially equal to the length of the case.

The edge 61 of the face 55 of the die 54 is rounded throughout its length so that when it engages thelip I portion upon the downward movement of thedie it folds over and draws the lip downward- -ly as illustrated in Figs 3 and 4 without The end. H

shearing or cutting the same. portions 59 offtliedie which diverge from the corner portions 58 thereof engage the end portions of the lip area and asthe die 54 is moveddownwardly act progressively to draw and condense the end por- ,tions of the lip area during thesrmultaneous bending and drawing movement ofthe edge 61 of the straight portion 57 of the die, thelip area beingcla'mped during this operationbetween the face portions 57 58 and 59 of the upper die and the yield-able guide 37 of the lower die.

Thus the lip is gradually drawn inwardly or rearwardly by forces acting in the'plane of the edges of thecase until the lip assumes the :vertical position illustrated in F 10 when the dies have completed their movement and the lip extends across a portion of the front side of the chamber and presents a substantially straight free edge, the lip thus formed being integral notonly with the longitudinal" front edge of the case, but alsowith the portions of the sides adjacent thereto.

Thus a seamless integral body of an eye--- glasscase is produced having a lip overlying a part of one side of the chamber of the body which presents an uninterrupted union with the front edge and 'ends of the body and has a more pleasing appearance thaneye-glass cases of this type heretoforeproduced. 'lhe-eye-glass case is then completed by forming the upwardly extending projections 8 into hinge members and securing thereto complementary hinge members of the usual form of cover which serve as a closure for the case as.

illustrated in Fig. 6. A suitable spring of the usual type (not shown) may be provided for holding the cover of the case either in open or closed position.

It will be understood that while the blank and the receptacletormed therefrom which isillustrated herein is a usual form of eye-glass case and the process of prm ducing the same has been specifically'described herein the'invention in its broader aspects contemplates the production of any desired form of receptacle having an integral rim wall and an integral seamless lip overlying a portion of the same and 'that suitable blanks for the productionot the desired article in accordance with the process herein described may be readily designed by those skilled in the art to which this invention appertains, from the disclosure herein. l g

It will also be understood that the dotted lines in Fig. 1, which are herein described as defining the base area, the rim area and the line of fold of the front area, are il- "lustrative ot the approximate boundaries of the rim wall over a part of the chamberof the body.

2. A receptacle of rigid, ductile material comprising ahollow body having a base and a continuous rim wall integral therewith, portions of which wall are disposed in angular relation to each other to form the sides and ends of said body and a continuous lip overlying a part of the chamber otthe body extending along and integral with oneside and the portions of the ends adjacent thereto.

3. A rectangular receptacle of rigid, ductile sheet metal comprising a base, a continuous rim wall projecting upwardlyfrom and integral throughout with the base and forming the sides and ends and a continuous lip overlying a part or the chamber of the body extending along and integral with one side and portions of the ends ad acent thereto of the rim.

4-. An eye-glass ease of rigid, ductile sheet material comprising a hollow body having a base, a continuous rim wall integral therewith forming parallel sides and eonvexedly curved ends extending upwardly from said bottom with rounded corners and a con-' tinuous seamless lip extending along and integral with one side and portions of the ends adjacent thereto overlying a part of the chamber of said case. M

5. An eye-glass case comprising an oblong body of aluminum having a base and an integral rim wall extending upwardly there-' from forming sides and ends with rounded corners'and a seamless lip integral with one of said sides and portions of each of the ends adjacent thereto overlying a part of the chamber of the case.

6. A blank for producing a receptacle having a lip overlying a part of the chamber at one side of the receptacle comprising a sheet of ductile material having a base area and a surrounding integral area of sufiicient width to produce a continuous' projecting rim wall when drawn up tegral union of the overlying lip with the" said side and adjacent ends of the rim wall when the lip is drawn back into substantial parallelism with the base area.

7. A blank for producing an oblong eyeglass case having a lip overlying a part of the chamber at one side of the case comprising a sheet of ductile material havinga base area and a surrounding integral area of suflicientwidth to produce a continuous proj ect-ing oblong rim Wall and presenting at its ends convex curved edges having such curvature that when the rim wall of the receptacle is drawn "from the blank in a direction substantially normal to the base the edges of the area are of such contour and size asto maintain an integral union of the overlying lip with said side and the adjacent ends of the rim wall when the lip is drawn back into substantial parallelism with said base area.

8. Steps in the method of producing a re-' ceptacle having an integral continuous lipoverlying a part of the chamber at one side of the receptacle which comprise forming from a sheet of ductile material a blank having a base area and a surrounding integral area of sutficient width to produce an in tegral continuous rim wall and an integral lip area projecting from said rim area at one side extending throughout its length and presenting convex projecting curved end portions merging into the rim area at the adjacent ends and at points defining the position of the ends of the free edge of the lip of the completed receptacle, then drawing the rim wall area into a position substantially normal to the base to produce a hollow body having a rim wall the edges of portions of the ends of which lie in the same plane, with the lip area extending upwardly from said ends and throughout the length of one side. I

9. The method of producing a receptacle having an integral continuous lip overlying a part of the chamber at one side of the receptacle which comprises producing from a sheet of ductile material a blank having a base area and a surrounding integral area of sufiicient width to produce an integral continuous rim wall and an integral lip area projecting from said rim area at one side extending throughout its length and presenting convex projecting curved end portions merging into the rim area at the adjacent ends and at points defining the position of the ends of the free edge of the lip of the completed receptacle, then drawing the rim and lip areas into a position substantially normal to the base to produce a hollow body having a rim wall the edges ot the inner portions oi the ends of which lie in the same plane with the lip area extending upwardly from the outer portions of said ends and from the outer side throughout the length thereof and thereafter drawing said lip area inwardly into substantially the plane of the edges of the ends of said body and simultaneously condensing the end portions of said lip area in the same plane to form a seamless union of the ends 01 the overlying lip with the said side and outer portions oi the ends of the body.

10. The process of producing the body portion of an oblong eye-glass case having convexedly curved ends and a lip overlying a part of the chamber at one side of the case which comprises producing from a sheet of ductile material a blank having a base area and a surrounding integral area of suflicient width to produce a continuous projecting rim wall having parallel sides and presenting at its ends convexedly curved edges having such contour that when the rim wall of the case is drawn up in a direction substantially normal to said base the edges of the wall will lie in a plane approximately parallel to said base, and having an integral lip area projecting from the rim wall area at one side extending throughout its length and presenting projecting end portions having convex curved edges which join the curved edges of the adjacent ends of the rim area in re-entrant angles the apexes of which define the positions of the edge of the lip of the completed receptacle, then drawing the rim area and the integral lip area in a direction substantially normal to said base and thereafter gradually drawing the lip area inwardly in substantially the plane of the edges of the ends of the rim wall and simultaneously condensing the end portions of the lip area to form an integral union of the overlying lip with the side and portions of the adjacent ends of the rim wall.

11. The process of forming the body portion of an oblong eye-glass case having parallel sides and rounded ends having a lip overlying a part of the chamber at one side or said case which comprises producing a hollow body having a base and a continuous integral rim wall portions of the ends of which are of a desired width and the edges of said end portions lie in a single plane and having a side provided with a lip extension projecting beyond the plane of the edges of said ends and extending around adjacent corners with its ends merging into the edges of said ends, then drawing the lip extension by forces acting substantially in the plane of the edges of the ends to force said lip toward the opposite side of said body and simultaneously to condense the end portions of the lip extension to maintain a seamless lip overlying a portion of the chamber at said side of the case.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification. 

